Presents regional inter- and multidisciplinary studies examining and showcasing the cultural landscapes and international interactions of NE Scotland from glacial to early modern times

The landscape of the north-east of Scotland ranges from wild mountains to undulating farmlands; from cosy, quaint fishing coves to long, sandy bays. This landscape witnessed the death of MacBeth, the final stand of the Comyns earls of Buchan against Robert the Bruce and the last victory, in Britain, of a catholic army at Glenlivet. But behind these momentous battles lie the quieter histories of ordinary folk farming the land - and supping their local malts. Colin Shepherd paints a picture of rural life within the landscapes of the north-east between the 13th and 18th centuries by using documentary, cartographic and archaeological evidence. He shows how the landscape was ordered by topographic and environmental constraints that resulted in great variation across the region and considers the evidence for the way late medieval lifestyles developed and blended sustainably within their environments to create a patchwork of cultural and agricultural diversity. However, these socio-economic developments subsequently led to a breakdown of this structure, resulting in what Adam Smith, in the 18th century, described as 'oppression'. The 12th-century Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation and the Industrial Revolution are used here to define a framework for considering the cultural changes that affected this region of Scotland. These include the dispossession of rights to land ownership that continue to haunt policy makers in the Scottish government today. While the story also shows how a regional cultural divergence, recognized here, can undermine 'big theories' of socio-political change when viewed across the wider stage of Europe and the Americas.

The Cultural Landscape - Past, Present and Future considers different aspects of man's intervention with natural vegetation and the landscape resulting from a long equilibrium of co-existence. These landscapes are not stable, and the recent and ever accelerating changes in technology and life-style have increasingly affected many ancient landscapes, as old land-use practices are abandoned and traditions forgotten. The papers in this book describe and trace the development of cultural landscapes in different climatic and biogeographical regions in Europe. Remnants of traditional land-use still remaining are described, particularly from Western Norway, where traditions have lingered because the rugged topography of the region is inimicable to high-technology. Each chapter is by an expert in the field. The topics cover the documentation of present cultural landscapes, their maintenance and restoration, and the history of the development of cultural landscapes from the Stone Age onwards, linking the intensity of landscape utilization with population dynamics and technological attainments. The disciplines involved include vegetation science, vegetation history, ecology, palaeoecology, archaeology, sociology, geography and history.

This volume deals with policy, methods and techniques for the stewardship of our land and our cultural assets. The focus is on interpretation and presentation of heritage themes, and the papers should be of interest to those concerned with school and university curricula, those working in museums and galleries, and those in charge of parks and tourist enterprises. Individual contributions celebrate achievements and debate issues relating to the natural and built environment, the future of green tourism, planning and interpretation in museums, parks and private estates. The authors include: Professor David Lowenthal on cultural landscapes; Charles McKean on architecture; David Macmillan on the arts; John Purser on music; Elisabeth Luard on cooking; the Earl of Glasgow on the opening of a family estate to the public; and Gordon Baxter on the heritage of one of Scotland's great enterprise stories in the food industry. The main theme of the book is that we do not always take enough pride in our heritage which is often undervalued and neglected. Positive action is required to raise awareness, to foster respect for our inheritance and to generate a new kind of enterprise that will not endanger the heritage resources on which we depend for enjoyment and jobs.

This book explores different design approaches to revealing change within a landscape, and examines how landscape designers bring together the cultural context of a specific place with material, spatial and ecological considerations. Revealing Change in Cultural Landscapes includes case studies such as Gilles Clément’s Jardin du Tiers-Paysage in France, the Brick Pit in Sydney, Australia and Georges Descombes’ Renaturation of the River Aire in Switzerland to uncover the insights of designers. In doing so, Catherine Heatherington considers the different ways designers approach the revealing of change and how this informs a discussion about people’s perceptions and understanding of landscape. With over 100 images and contributions from Jacky Bowring, Dermot Foley and Krystallia Kamvasinou, this book will be beneficial for students of landscape and landscape architecture, particularly those with an interest in how landscapes change over time and how this is perceived by both designers and visitors.

While historical and protected landscapes have been well studied for years, the cultural significance of ordinary landscapes is now increasingly recognised. This groundbreaking book discusses how contemporary cultural landscapes can be, and are, created and recognised. The book challenges common concepts of cultural landscapes as protected or ‘special’ landscapes that include significant buildings or features. Using case studies from around the world it questions the usual measures of judgement related to cultural landscapes and instead focuses on landscapes that are created, planned or simply evolve as a result of changing human cultures, management policy and practice. Each contribution analyses the geographical and human background of the landscape, and policies and management strategies that impact upon it, and defines the meanings of 'cultural landscape' in its particular context. Taken together they establish a new paradigm in the study of landscapes in all forms.